Punjab govt launches Medical Journalism Dept, Intercollegiate Consortium at UHS

The minister underscored the importance of transparency and integrity in scientific publications, noting that the newly established Intercollegiate Consortium would improve editorial harmony and journal quality. “We will take our colleges along in the journey of promoting scientific research,” he said, reaffirming his commitment to continuous learning as a policymaker.Vice-Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Professor Khalid Masood Gondal, praised UHS’s efforts to elevate research quality, stressing that there should be no compromise on research standards. UHS Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore highlighted that the initiative aligns with national and international publication standards. He announced that UHS’s Medical Journalism Diploma Course has received official approval from the World Health Organization, making it the first regular Medical Journalism Department in Pakistan.Professor Javed Akram, President of the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine, noted the global significance of the initiative, given Pakistan’s growing population and the limited number of high-impact medical journals. “This step by UHS will help us secure a place in the global scientific research landscape,” he said, advocating for the inclusion of medical writing in undergraduate curricula.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Nadia Naseem revealed that UHS has trained 225 certified editors and that 30 medical colleges in Punjab are publishing scientific journals. She announced plans for an international editorial workshop in Shiraz, Iran, in September, with ambitions to establish UHS as a regional center of excellence in medical journalism.